The number of admission appeals made by parents over their young child’s first school has almost doubled in two years, suggesting that families are becoming pushier earlier in the fight to get children into their preferred institution.

Appeals lodged over admissions to infant classes jumped to a record high of 18,550 in 2007-08 from only 9,950 two years before. This included a rise of 5,570, or 43 per cent, in 2007-08 alone. Infant class is the first year of compulsory schooling, filled with four and five-year-olds.